Arvind Kejriwal, other accused decide to participate in excise policy case before Delhi High Court Justice Manoj Jain

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Durgesh Pathak have decided to participate in the excise policy case proceedings before Justice Manoj Jain of the Delhi High Court.

Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak had earlier decided to boycott the proceedings which were initially before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

However, Justice Sharma withdrew from the matter on May 14 and decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Kejriwal and several other AAP leaders for their allegedly defamatory and vilifying remarks against her.

The excise policy case was then posted before Justice Jain.

When Justice Jain took up the matter for hearing on Monday, he noted that three vakalatnamas have been filed on behalf of Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak.

The Court then said that it will hear everyone (including Kejriwal and others) on the next date.

"They [Kejriwal and others] have filed vakalatnamas, so on the next date of hearing, we will see and draw a schedule for the hearing," Justice Jain said.

He then adjourned the case to July 16 and said that on that date, the Court will draw up a schedule for the hearing of the parties.

A trial court had on February 27 this year discharged Kejriwal and 22 other accused from the case. The CBI challenged the order and the same initially came up before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.

On March 9, Justice Sharma issued notice in the matter and stayed the trial court direction for department proceedings against the CBI officer who investigated the case. Justice Sharma also gave a prima facie finding that some of the observations made by the trial court in its order were erroneous. She further directed the trial court to defer the PMLA proceedings, which are based on the CBI's case.

Kejriwal and other accused -Sisodia, Pathak, Vijay Nair, Arun Pillai and Chanpreet Singh Rayat - subsequently filed applications for Justice Sharma's recusal.

They alleged conflict on interest on her part in hearing the case since her children are lawyers on Central government lawyers' panel. They also alleged ideological bias on her part, citing her attendance at events hosted by Adhivakta Parishad, the lawyers wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

These arguments were initially rejected by Justice Sharma, who decided that she would continue hearing the matter.

Subsequently, Kejriwal, Sisodia and Pathak decided to boycott the proceedings before Justice Sharma.

Later, Justice Sharma decided to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Kejriwal and others for their allegations against her.

In view of the same, she also decided that she will not hear the excise policy case.